The present invention generally relates to computer apparatus, and more particularly relates to PCMCIA card receiving and ejection apparatus disposed within a computer housing.
Computer cards, more specifically PCMCIA cards small expansion modules each roughly the size and shape of a credit card, are often used in conjunction with a computer to easily, rapidly and interchangeably add various operational capabilities to the computer such as additional memory, enhanced video characteristics, networking or a fax/modem. Typically, a PCMCIA card is insertable through an exterior housing side wall slot of the computer into an interior housing card chamber within which a socketed inner end of the inserted card is forcibly plugged into a complementary pin connector portion of the computer system planar board.
To later unplug and remove the inserted PCMCIA card an oppositely directed, essentially equal disconnection and removal force is required to draw the inserted card outwardly through its associated housing slot. Heretofore, two primary types of card ejector mechanism have been proposed to accomplish this card disconnection and withdrawal task.
The first type of card ejector mechanism, commonly referred to as a "bottom actuated" ejector, comprises a movable plate member which underlies the inserted PCMCIA card and may be manually pulled to engage the card, disconnect it from its associated planar board pin connector structure, and outwardly move an end portion of the disconnected card through its housing slot where it may be manually grasped and pulled to complete the removal of the card from the computer interior. While of a relatively simple design, this type of card ejector mechanism has the disadvantage of having no force amplification--i.e., each pound of card disconnection force requires that a pound of actuation force be manually exerted on the movable plate member.
The other type of ejector mechanism is positioned to one side of the inserted PCMCIA card, in generally the same plane therewith, and is operative to exert on the inserted card a disconnection force which is amplified relative to the manual actuation input force exerted on the ejector mechanism. While such force amplification is quite desirable, and substantially facilitates disconnection and removal of the inserted PCMCIA card, this type of ejector mechanism tends to be relatively complex and undesirably requires additional housing space outside the periphery of the inserted card to accommodate the ejector mechanism.
As can be readily seen from the foregoing it would be highly desirable to provide an improved force amplified type of PCMCIA card ejector mechanism which is of a simple, compact design. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such an improved force amplified PCMCIA card ejector mechanism.